The Printed Legacy of Newspapers in the Beehive State

April 28, 2025

Long before smartphones and 24-hour news cycles, Utahns were getting their daily scoop the old-fashioned way—through ink-stained fingers and the satisfying rustle of newspaper.

From the moment Latter-day Saints established their roots in the Salt Lake Valley, they were eager to spread information, share opinions, and yes, occasionally squabble in print. In a place where communities were often isolated by mountains and desert, newspapers became the lifeblood of connection—bringing the world to pioneer doorsteps and helping shape Utah's unique identity.

Let's flip through the pages of history and discover how Utah's newspapers have been telling the state's story since 1850.

A Few Utah Newspapers

Deseret News

If newspapers were family members, Deseret News would be the grandparent with stories that predate almost everyone else at the reunion. Founded in June 1850—just three years after pioneers entered the valley—it claims the title of one of the oldest continuously published newspapers west of the Mississippi River.

The first issue declared its motto: "Truth and Liberty." It promised to "record the passing events of our State, and in connexion, refer to the arts and sciences, embracing general education, medicine, law, divinity, domestic and political economy, and every thing that may fall under our observation."

In other words, they weren't just planning to cover barn raisings and Church announcements—they wanted to be the intellectual and cultural compass for the fledgling territory.

For over 170 years, Deseret News has continued to inform Utahns through wars, depressions, technological revolutions, and even a pandemic and changing interest in print news that forced it to adapt in 2020 by moving to a weekly print edition. Like many of us who've had to adapt our relationship with physical media in the digital age, Deseret News has evolved while maintaining its core identity.

A black-and-white sketch of a small, rustic cottage with a sloped roof, two chimneys, and visible wear. The front of the house features a central door flanked by a window with broken panes on the left and a multi-pane window on the right. The porch has a simple wooden ramp leading up to it. Sparse vegetation and a bare tree are visible around the cottage, giving it an old and weathered appearance. — This small adobe building served as the first headquarters of the Deseret News when it began publishing in 1850 ("10 things you didn't know about the founding of the Deseret News," *Deseret News*; Utah State Historical Society)

Valley Tan

Not everyone in territorial Utah was singing from the same hymnal, so to speak. In 1858, Kirk Anderson printed the first edition of Valley Tan, generally considered the second newspaper in the territory and notably anti-Mormon in its stance.

The name itself has an interesting origin story. As Anderson explained in the first edition:

Valley Tan was first applied to locally tanned leather . . . gradually expanding to refer to any item made or produced in the Territory, signifying Home Manufacturers. It has become an indispensable word in Utah’s vernacular and may yet add a new word to the English language. Circumstances and localities shape our language, and so we stamp the name and put it into circulation!

Though it only lasted two years, Valley Tan represents something consistent in Utah's newspaper history—the beginning of a press that wasn't aligned with the dominant religious and political power. This tradition of alternative voices would continue throughout Utah's history.

A black-and-white image of the masthead from an 1858 newspaper titled Kirk Anderson’s Valley Tan. The title is prominently displayed in large, bold serif letters, with “Kirk Anderson’s” curved above “Valley Tan.” Below the title, the publication details read: “Great Salt Lake City, U.T., Friday, November 6, 1858,” indicating it was published in the Utah Territory. Smaller text notes that this is Volume 1, Number 1, and that the paper was edited by Kirk Anderson. The header also includes the price: “Eight Dollars in Advance. — The first issue of *Valley Tan* was published on November 6, 1858 (*Valley Tan*, 1858–1860; Internet Archive).

The Salt Lake Tribune

Speaking of alternative voices, The Salt Lake Tribune entered the scene in April 1871, declaring itself "a purely secular journal" that would "oppose the undue exercise of priestly authority," and pledged that it "will have no sectarian bias and will be the organ of no religious body."

The Tribune was founded by William S. Godbe, Elias L.T. Harrison, Edward W. Tullidge, and William H. Shearman—excommunicated members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who had embraced spiritualism. The Godbeites, as they became known, held séances and claimed visitations from the spirits of Joseph Smith, the apostles Peter, James, and John, and even the German naturalist Alexander Humboldt—who allegedly urged them to overthrow the “Mormon theocracy.” They eventually formed their own sect, the Church of Zion.

By 1873, the Tribune was struggling financially and was sold to a group of Kansas businessmen who sharpened its anti-Church tone to boost circulation. In 1901, it was purchased by mining magnate and U.S. Senator Thomas Kearns, who moderated its rhetoric but maintained its role as a foil to the Deseret News.

In an ironic turn, the two rival papers partnered in 1952, merging their printing, advertising, and circulation operations to reduce costs—a practical arrangement that lasted until 2020. One year prior, in 2019, the Tribune took another historic step by becoming a nonprofit, reinventing itself once again to survive the pressures of a changing media landscape. Today, the Salt Lake Tribune continues its tradition of editorial independence and criticism of the Church and its influence in Utah public life.

A black-and-white historical photograph of a bustling city street scene featuring a newspaper stand advertising The Salt Lake Tribune. The stand is a small, wheeled cart covered with signs and papers, including a bold sign that reads "READ THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE" across the top. Various newspapers hang from strings and fill the shelves, with signs indicating the availability of both domestic and foreign papers. Several men in early 20th-century attire, including suits, hats, and overcoats, stand around the cart, while a young newspaper boy in a cap and coat stands nearby. Tall buildings and a crowd of pedestrians fill the urban backdrop. — In 1920, *The Salt Lake Tribune* sold copies of its paper from a newsstand at the southwest corner of 200 South and Main Street ("A brief history of Salt Lake Tribune owners since its birth — with photos of the paper through the years," The Salt Lake Tribune; Utah State Historical Society).

Broad Ax

In 1895, Julius F. Taylor launched the Broad Ax, one of the first newspapers in Utah created for Black Americans.

Taylor used his platform to encourage his fellow Black Americans to support the Democratic Party, a controversial and unusual take at the time. The paper proudly invited "a full and free discussion through our columns by any one of the questions now before the people and we will be pleased to publish any contribution expressing an individual opinion if brief and free from personality."

Perhaps most importantly, Broad Ax interviewed Alex and Marinda Bankhead, providing a rare firsthand account of the experiences of enslaved people in Utah—stories that might otherwise have been lost to history. Taylor moved the paper to Chicago in 1901, but its brief time in Utah left a mark on the state's journalistic legacy.

A black-and-white image of the front page of The Broad Ax, a historical newspaper from Salt Lake City, Utah, dated August 31, 1895, Volume I, Number 1. The newspaper’s title is prominently displayed with a large decorative font, featuring an illustration of a broad axe cutting through wood above the words “HEW TO THE LINE.” Below the title, the page contains several columns with headings such as “SALUTATORY,” “TO THE COLORED PEOPLE OF UTAH,” and “IN THE PUBLIC EYE.” — The first issue of *The Broad Ax* was published in the latter half of 1895 (Utah Digital Newspapers, University of Utah).

Utah Nippo

Founded in 1914 by Issei Uneo Terasawa, the Utah Nippo served Japanese Americans in Salt Lake City for nearly eight decades. Originally created as a Buddhist-oriented alternative to the Rocky Mountain Times (the other Japanese language newspaper, which had a Christian orientation), it grew quickly and eventually merged with the Times in 1927. When Terasawa died in 1939, his wife, Kuniko Muramatsu Terasawa, stepped in.

What makes Utah Nippo especially significant is that it continued publishing throughout World War II—one of the few Japanese American newspapers able to do so because Utah was outside the West Coast's restricted areas. During a time when Japanese Americans faced internment and widespread discrimination, Kuniko led the Utah Nippo to preserve Japanese American voices and a sense of connection to a community under incredible strain.

A black-and-white photograph of two people working in a traditional print shop. They are standing in front of a massive wall filled with rows of small compartments containing metal movable type, used for letterpress printing. The woman in the foreground selects type from the compartments, holding a paper in one hand. The man in the background appears to be organizing or preparing type as well. Overhead fluorescent lights illuminate the workspace, casting shadows on the walls and floor. — Amid rows of lead type, Sho Tatai and Kuniko Terasawa handpick characters from type cases—part of the traditional process used in letterpress printing (*Utah Nippo*, Mitsugi M. Kasai Memorial Japanese American Archive).

Truth

With a name like Truth, you'd expect a newspaper to make bold claims about being the definitive source of information. But when this weekly debuted in 1901, it positioned itself as something more nuanced—an independent voice that found middle ground between the pro-Mormon Deseret News and the often anti-Mormon Salt Lake Tribune.

Truth covered local issues, including the decline of polygamy as the Church moved away from the practice. In 1908, it underwent a transformation, rebranding as the Western Weekly and later becoming the travel-focused Western Monthly, serving as the official publication of the See America First League.

Think of it as your friend who thought they'd make a career in politics before ultimately deciding to pursue their passion for travel photography.

A black-and-white image of the front page of a historical newspaper titled TRUTH, published in Salt Lake City, Utah, on January 7, 1905. The ornate masthead features the word “TRUTH” in large, decorative letters with radiant lines shining outward, giving it a dramatic and eye-catching appearance. Beneath the masthead, the issue is labeled as Volume 4, Number 17, with a price of 5 cents. The main headline reads "The State Legislature," followed by a brief article preview and a list of legislators' names and affiliations. — *Truth*, a weekly newspaper founded in 1901, had a distinctive masthead (Truth [Salt Lake City, Utah] 1901-1908; Library of Congress).

When Headlines Made History

Newspapers don't just report history—they preserve our collective experience of it.

When Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, the Salt Lake Tribune rushed out an extra edition that day to report the shocking news. In the days that followed, papers like the Deseret News and Logan's Herald Journal captured the initial disbelief and rapid transition to wartime resolve that swept through Utah communities.

A black-and-white image of the front page of The Salt Lake Tribune dated Sunday, December 7, 1941, with the headline: “Japan Declares War on U.S.; Attacks Naval Base At Hawaii.” The issue is marked as an “Extra” edition and priced at five cents. The layout includes dramatic subheadings such as “Japan Raid Kills 350 At Airfield,” “Roosevelt Order Directs Navy, Army to Fight,” and “British Get Set to Join U.S. in War.” A large map titled “Points Where Japan Shattered Pacific Peace” shows the Pacific region with labeled locations including Japan, the Philippines, Hawaii, and the U.S. mainland, highlighting sites of Japanese attacks. — A special edition of The Salt Lake Tribune was published on the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, December 7, 1941 (*Salt Lake Tribune*, Utah Digital Newspapers).

These historic newspapers have also helped mark milestones. For the centennial celebration of pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley, Deseret News led with a nearly full-page message from the First Presidency and photos of a new pioneer monument, while smaller papers like the Price Sun Advocate and the Ogden Standard-Examiner highlighted local festivities, including a beard contest (some things certainly changed in Utah), sports, parades, and the rodeo.

And when American astronauts landed on the moon in July 1969, every paper from Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune to the small-town local news found their own angle on the story. The Magna Times reported on the rocket parts used on the Apollo mission, celebrating their place as the home of one of the plants that created them. The Box Elder Journal wished "Good Luck, Neil, Edwin, and Michael (Our Men On the Moon)," while the Cache Citizen (printed in Lewiston, Utah) proudly noted a local connection—a resident stationed on the USS Hornet tasked with picking up the astronauts upon reentry.

A black-and-white newspaper clipping featuring an artist's rendering of the Moon’s surface with an Apollo Lunar Module in the background. The headline reads: “Herc Oxidizer on Moon Trip.” The accompanying article discusses how Hercules nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer was used as a key fuel ingredient during the historic Apollo 11 lunar mission. The text highlights Hercules’ contributions to rocketry, dating back to early 20th-century experiments by Dr. Robert Goddard. — The Magna Times, July 24, 1969, reported on the role of a rocket oxidizer used in the Apollo 11 mission (Magna Times, Utah Digital Newspapers)

The News Goes On

The newspapers mentioned here represent just a handful of the hundreds of publications that have served Utah communities. Almost every county and town across the state has, at some point, produced its own newspaper—from the Beaver County News to the Zion's Advocate.

Whether you're researching family history, exploring local stories, or just curious about how your hometown reacted to world events, Utah's newspaper archives offer a fascinating window into the past. And thanks to the Utah Digital Newspapers project, many of these historical papers have been digitized and are available online for free, letting you experience yesterday's news today, minus the paper cuts and ink stains.

So the next time you scroll through news on your phone, spare a thought for the ink-stained pioneers who first brought the world's happenings to Utah's doorsteps one carefully typeset page at a time.

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